I recently had the distinct privilege to attend a screening of the movie “The Giver”.
For those who don’t know much about the film here is the official synopsis from the Weinstein Co., which produced the film.
“The haunting story of THE GIVER centers on Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. The film is based on Lois Lowry’s beloved young adult novel of the same name, which was the winner the 1994 Newbery Medal and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.”
There are a lot of interesting themes in the film. Too many to break down in one post, but what struck me the most was the idea that “choice” is what makes us truly human. The ability to choose is what gives us the ability to love and at the end of the day, love is what we live for. But love can’t be love if it isn’t a choice made of free will.
THINK ABOUT IT: The Giver opens in theaters Aug. 15
These days it seems like more and more people and politicians are becoming like the elders in The Giver. Choice is slowly being removed from all aspects of our every day lives. It’s done under the guise of compassion. After all, they just want to help you make the right choices! As Meryl Streep’s character hauntingly says in the film, “When people have the freedom to choose, they choose wrong.”
That line gave me the shivers….
Read the rest at WatchDog.org
Editors Note: This article is reprinted from WatchDog.org courtesy Kira Davis.
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Kira Davis is a fellow at the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity.
Photo credit Gates Foundation
